Gemma Dowler's comments came in the wake of the verdicts at the phone-hacking trial, in which former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks was acquitted of all charges and Andy Coulson, who succeeded her, was found guilty on Tuesday (June 24).

Milly's phone was hacked by the News of the World after she disappeared on her way home from school in 2002.

Her sister said she wanted to make sure "something good" came out of the scandal, and called on Prime Minister David Cameron to make good on promises he made to her family over press regulation.

Milly Dowler's mobile phone voicemail was hacked by the News of the World

In the wake of the phone-hacking verdicts, Miss Dowler called for Mr Cameron and other political party leaders to implement proposals made following the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

She said her family had stayed silent during the court case to make sure the defendants got a fair trial.

"But now that it's over, I want to speak out about what I think should happen next to make sure that something good comes out of these terrible events," she said.

"We have known for ages that serious crimes were being committed on a major scale in parts of the press.

"Ordinary people have suffered terribly from journalists who recklessly intruded into private grief and stole private information."

Andy Coulson was convicted at the phone-hacking trial

Miss Dowler said Ipso, the new press watchdog backed by most of the industry, was "meaningless", adding: "This is just the newspapers looking after themselves.

"But there are other, equally worrying problems.

"Most important and damaging of all is the incestuous relationship between our top politicians and the press.

"For example Tony Blair, the prime minister when Milly disappeared, didn't phone us when he heard that Milly's phone had been hacked.

"But when he heard that the police were investigating Rebekah Brooks, he phoned her to offer his support."

Miss Dowler said she was pleased Mr Cameron had been prepared to initiate the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics, but she added she would not forget the promises made by the prime minister under oath during the hearings, to the Dowlers and other victims of press intrusion.

She said: "Many of the victims, including my parents, had to relive some terrible tragedies when they gave evidence about press abuse.

"They did that in the hope and expectation that the prime minister would make sure things changed as he promised."

Rebekah Brooks had been in charge of the paper in 2002 but was on holiday in Dubai at the time Milly's phone was hacked, leaving Coulson in charge.

Thurlbeck, 52, of Manor Drive, Esher, and Mulcaire, 43, of Alberta Avenue, Sutton, have previously admitted charges in relation to the phone-hacking conspiracy.

In her video message, urging the Leveson recommendations to be undertaken, Miss Dowler added: "My message to the prime minister and all the party leaders is this - this new fake regulator Ipso falls way short of Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations and is nowhere near good enough.

"Please keep your promise to us, the victims, that you will deliver real and permanent change to make sure what happened to us will never happen again."